Coating applicator and smoothing attachment



March 1940. J. K. M. HARRISON 2,194,701

COATING APPLIGATOR AND SMOOTHING ATTACHMENT Filed June '7, 1938 2Sheets-Sheei 1 INVENTQR: John itMimrnson,

A TTORN E YS March 26, 1940. J. K. M. HARRISON COATING APPLIATOR ANDSMOOTHING ATTACHMENT 'Filed June 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheef 2 INVENTOR:

John if. M Harrison ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, 3

- COATING APPLICATOR AND SMOOTHING ATTACHMENT John K. M. Harrison,Ogontz, Pa. Application June 7, 1938, Serial No. 212,294

1; Claims.

This invention relates generally to means for coating and smoothing theinterior surface of tubing lined with a desirable proofing orpreservative medium as such tubing leaves the forming means.

More particularly, the instant invention primarily aims to provide anovel applicator and smoothing attachment for connection to the freeend'of mandrels on which spirally wound paper,

fiber or other analogous material, tubes are produced for subsequentseverance into predetermined length as container bodies.

Another object of thepresent improvements is the provision of a combinedapplicator and smoothing attachment for the mandrels of spiral tubewinding machines whereby the coating medium is more efilciently appliedand expansively reduced to the desired thickness.

A further object is the provision of a combined circular applicator andsmooth device for mandrel-end attachment, whereby spirally wound tubesof the above indicated type are evenly lined with any desirable proofingsubstance and are finished-off with a continuously smooth interiorsurface; or with a slightly thicker reinforce following the inner plyseam of said spirally wound tubes to prevent leakage thereat as well asfor general strengthening purposes.

A still further object refers to the provision of anovel attachment, ofthe indicated type,

whereby the coating material is amply applied initially, and issubsequently smoothed down or coating material andthe surplusaccumulating incident to the smoothing operation are maintained inconstant circulation to prevent clogging of the attachment during use.

' With the above recited objects in view, and others of a tributorynature, this invention consists in certain novel and peculiar featuresof construction and organization of parts as hereinafter fully describedand claimed; and in order that the same may be fully understood,reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings illustratingpractical embodiments of said invention.

In the drawings, corresponding parts are identified by like referencecharacters with differentiating exponents and other characters in themodified forms, where necessary, to avoid confusion and unnecessaryrepetitive matter.

Fig. I is a longitudinal section through the free end of a tube formingmandrel with a preferred 55 type of the combined applicator andsmoothing reduced to predetermined thickness, while saiddevice of thisinvention attached thereto, said device having a minor portion brokenout for purposes of clarity.

Fig. Ia is a fragmentary detail view hereinafter fully explained.

Fig. II is a transverse section on the plane II- II in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a broken interior and part sectional view of a tube whereinthe coating is slightly increased in thickness along the inner ply seam.

Fig. IV is a perspective view of the combined applicator and smoothingdevice detached from the tube forming mandrel.

Fig. V is a similar section to Fig. I of a modified form of theinvention.

Fig. VI is a perspective view of the combined applicator and smoothingdevice shown in Fig. V.

Fig. VII is a sectional illustration corresponding with Figs. I and V,but including a further modified form ofthe combined applicator andsmoother device of this invention; and,

Fig. VIII is a perspective view of said last mentioned device.

Referring more in detail, the reference n-umeral l designates a tubularstationary mandrel for the production of spirally-wound laminated ormulti-ply paper or other appropriate material tubing 2; said mandrelhaving the free end closed in by a substantial plug 3. Extendinglongitudinally through the mandrel I, with projection outwardly beyondthe plug 3, are flow and return pipes 4, 5 respectively,'for anappropriate thermoplastic coating medium 6, conveniently maintained atthe requisite temperature for easy application to the interior surfaceof the tubing 2, by a conventional electric heater 1. Preferably,although not essentially, the flow pipe 4 is lowermost, with the returnpipe 5 uppermost; and the heater I axially coextensive with the mandrelI, so that the coating medium 6 iskept sufficiently fluent at all timesfor continuous or uninterrupted circulation.

The combined applicator and smoothing device, as shown in Figs. I-IV,consists of a solid member including a coniform body 8, the narrowerportion of which merges into a shank 9,

having a diametrically reduced screw-threaded.

drical character and circumferentially grooved to provide a coatingflange I2 with relatively spaced smoothing flanges l3 and I4, all ofwhich are of predetermined differential diameter and widthi while theintervening grooves II, I6 are,

preferably, of the same dimension. In practice the diametric dimensionof the flange I3 over I2 may be only an increase ofiflve or sixthousandths of an inch, while the increase between the diameter of theflange I4 and the flange I3 is. preferably restricted to one or twothousandths of an inch. On the other hand, the bottoms of the groovesI6, I6 register with a common dimension. It is alsg to be observed thatthe flanges I2, I3 are pierced by circumferentially spaced holes II, I8,respectively, for passage through the coniform body 3, for insertion orapplication of a suitable implement for attaching or removing said bodyfrom the mandrel I, in an obvious manner.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. V and VI, theconiform body portion 3a is hollowed out to bell-shape at 20, while itsouter surface extends to the coating flange I2a; and said bell-shape isprovided with a circumferential series of spaced holes 2| for passage ofthe coating material 6a, in a manner similar to that of the holes I'I,I8 of the previously described form of the invention. It is also to beremarked that in this modification of the invention, there is providedwhat may be termed as a flexible smoother, preferably in theform of adisk 22 adjustably secured, by a set-screw 23, tothe outer end of aconnecting rod 24, in turn attached by an universal-joint 25, to a forkbearing 26 screw-threaded at 21 axially into the bell shape 20, saidbearing 26 being conveniently locked in position by a drift pin 28 in anobvious manner. By adjusting the disk 22 lengthwise of the rod 24, itwill be clearly apparent that the desired thickness of the smoothed-out,

,or finished, coating film 29a (also indicated in Fig. I as 29 and VIIas 2%) can be incrementally predetermined, or gauged, by outward orinward movement of said disk.

Referring now to the modification of Figs. VII and VIII, the coniformbody portion 8b is solid with an annular recess 30 in its larger enddefining a boss 3|, which is axially boredfor the reception andattachment, by a set screw 32, of a forked bearing 26b with an universaljoint 25b, and short rod 2th to which is adjustably fixed the shankportion 33 of a bell-shaped spreader 34, as by fastening means 23b. Itis also to be remarked that the coniform body portion 81) is providedwith angularly directed coating-flow passages 35.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that as thespirally wound tube 2 progresses from off the mandrel I, in thedirection of the arrows underlying Figs. 1, V and VII, onto the largerend of the coniform applicator device 8, 8a or 8?), with coatingmaterial 6, 6a or 6b being forced by way of the flow pipe 4 into thespace intervening the base or applicator flange I2, I2a or IR), and themandrel outer end, and apply same continuously to and around theinterior surface of the tube 2. At the same time, any excessaccumulation of the coating 6, 6a or 6b, will be drawn away, as by anappropriate suction, from the intervening space through the return pipe5 for recirculation and subsequent use. Continued progression of thetube 2 in the direction of the arrows aforesaid advances the coatedinner surface of the tube 2, 2a or 2b, onto the smoothing flanges I3, I4or Ila, lib with incidental formation of the finished film 29, by slightexpanding action. Incidentally all surplus of the coating medium 6, 6aor 6b removed by the smoothing flanges I3 and II, or Ila, Ilb, will beautomatically drawn through the respective holes ll, I1, 2| or 36, backinto the main volume intervening the coniform base and the mandrel end,for recirculation and later use as aforesaid. It is to be observed alsothat the circumferential edges of all the flanges I2, I3, Il, I2a, I21),and Ila, Ilb are slightly rounded so as to avoid the formation of anyspiralizing undulation or edge in the fllm 29 throughout the length oftubing 2 interiorly coated as hereinbefore set forth. In actualpractice, tubes 2 are produced, by the combined applicator and smoothingmeans of this invention, with a fllm like inner surface coating orlining 29 devoid of any defective "spots" or projections.

Referring back again to Figs. I-IV, the smoothing flange I4 may beprovided with an inclined groove I4, say, of about threeto'flve-thousandths of an inch in depth, said groove being designed toform a slightly greater thickness reinforcement 29' of the coating 23following the contour of the inner ply seam 2' of the. tubing 2, as bestunderstood from Figs. Ia. and III. It is also to be remarked thereinforcement 29 is about a half-inch wide and evenly distributed t'each side of the ply seam 2.

From the foregoing it is thought the merits and advantages of thisinvention will be clearly apparent to those conversant with the kindredart; and while difierent forms of said invention have been described indetail, the same are not to be considered as limitative, inasmuch asminor deviations may be effected without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as coater portion for smoothing and reducing theI applied coating to the desired thickness.

2. In winders for producing strip material tubing on a suitable mandrel,the combination of a coating substance applicator and smoother device atthe mandrel let-off end, said means comprising a circular coater withthe base outwards, relatively spaced smoothing means of differentialsize for smoothing and reducing the applied coating to thedesiredthickness, and means afiording flow and return of the coatingsubstance to and about the device.

3. In winders for producing strip material tubing on a suitable mandrel,the combination of a coating substance applicator and smoother device atthe mandrel let-off end, said means comprising a circular coater withthe base outwards, relatively spaced smoothing means of differentialsize for smoothing and reducing the applied coating to the desiredthicknesa means affording flow and return of suitable coating substanceto and from the space intervening the coater body and mandrel end, andmeans permitting surplus coating substance extruded by the aforesaid.

4. In machines for making spirally wound tubing from paper and analogousstrip material,

the combination with the mandrel, on which such tubing is formed, of alining-substance applicator and smoother device comprising a coniformbody for axial alignment with the mandrel, spaced walls of differentialsize in advance of the coniform body baseand defining with the adjoiningend of said mandrel an intervening clearance; and means affording flowof the lining-substance to, and its return from, the interveningclearance aforesaid.

' 5 In machines for making spirally wound tubing from paper andanalogous strip material, the combination with the mandrel, on whichsuch tubing is formed, of a lining-substance applicator and smootherdevice comprising a coniform body for axial alignment with the mandrel,spaced walls of differential size in advance of the coniform body baseand defining with the adjoiningend of said mandrel an interveningclearance; means providing for flow and return of the lining-substanceto and around ance, one of said flanges functioning as the applicator ofa suitable coating substance to the interior surface of the tube as itadvances from the mandrel, the other of said flanges serving tosmooth-out and reduce the coating thickness to predetermined degree,circumierentially spaced apertures through the coniform applicator body.

and means feeding the coating substance to the attachment as well asenabling removal of any surplus coating substance extruded by theconiform flanges for re-use.

'7. A coating application and smoothing device as deflned in claim 6,wherein the coniform body includes an applicator flange with relativelyspaced plural smoothing flanges of differential diameters about its baseportion, said applicator flange and the adjoining smoothing flangehaving circumferentially spaced holestherethrough, and the. smaller andof the coniform body is provided with a screw-threaded extension forengagement in a complementally threaded axial orifice, in the mandrelend.

8. A coating applicator and smoothing device as defined in claim 6wherein the outer or smoothing flange is formed with an inclined shallowgroove designed to slightly increase the thickness of coating along andflankingly of the tubing inner ply seam.

9. A coating applicator and smoothing device as defined in claim 1wherein the means for smoothing and reducing the applied coatingcomprises a disk, and coupler means including an universal jointconnecting said disk axially to vice as defined in claim 1 wherein thesmoothing portion is of bell-shape section, and connector meansincluding an universal joint couplethe shank of such section axially tothe coniiorm body.

JOHN: K. M. HARRISON.

